diff --git a/lib/gitlab/utils.rb b/lib/gitlab/utils.rb
index fa22f0e37b2..dc9391f32cf 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/utils.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/utils.rb
@@ -67,5 +67,13 @@ module Gitlab
 
       nil
     end
+
+    # Used in EE
+    # Accepts either an Array or a String and returns an array
+    def ensure_array_from_string(string_or_array)
+      return string_or_array if string_or_array.is_a?(Array)
+
+      string_or_array.split(',').map(&:strip)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/utils_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/utils_spec.rb
index bda239b7871..71a743495a2 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/utils_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/utils_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Gitlab::Utils do
-  delegate :to_boolean, :boolean_to_yes_no, :slugify, :random_string, :which, to: :described_class
+  delegate :to_boolean, :boolean_to_yes_no, :slugify, :random_string, :which, :ensure_array_from_string, to: :described_class
 
   describe '.slugify' do
     {
@@ -83,4 +83,18 @@ describe Gitlab::Utils do
       expect(which('sh', 'PATH' => '/bin')).to eq('/bin/sh')
     end
   end
+
+  describe '.ensure_array_from_string' do
+    it 'returns the same array if given one' do
+      arr = ['a', 4, true, { test: 1 }]
+
+      expect(ensure_array_from_string(arr)).to eq(arr)
+    end
+
+    it 'turns comma-separated strings into arrays' do
+      str = 'seven, eight, 9, 10'
+
+      expect(ensure_array_from_string(str)).to eq(%w[seven eight 9 10])
+    end
+  end
 end